Golf clubs and golf club heads having a sensor

Abstract

A golf club having a sensor that is removably connected at one or more positions of the golf club where the sensor comprises an inertial measurement unit including an accelerometer capable of measuring linear accelerations in three orthogonal axes and a gyroscope capable of measuring an angular rate of rotation around the same axes. The sensor may further comprise a processor which may perform instructions to detect the impact of the golf club with a golf ball and determine the start of the golf swing without any additional input from the user. The sensor may further have a power management system to extend the life of the power source.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A golf club comprising:
 a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a first end connected to the golf club head and a second end connected to a grip; 
 a sensor connected to the golf club, the sensor comprising: 
 an inertial measurement unit, the inertial measurement unit comprising an accelerometer capable of measuring linear accelerations along a first axis, along a second axis, and along a third axis and a gyroscope capable of measuring an angular rate of rotation about the first axis, about the second axis, and about the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonally oriented and comprise a sensor coordinate system; 
 a processor; and 
 a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to at least:
 acquire a first set of linear acceleration data from at least one axis of the accelerometer of the inertial measurement unit, wherein the accelerometer is operating with a first sampling rate of 10 Hz or less; 
 compare the first set of linear acceleration data to a first set of predetermined criteria, wherein the first set of predetermined criteria comprises information indicative of non-zero linear acceleration data in at least one axis and wherein the first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if information indicative of non-zero linear acceleration data in at least one axis; 
 upon determining that first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, acquire a second set of linear acceleration data from the accelerometer, wherein the accelerometer is operating at a second sampling rate greater than the first sampling rate; 
 calculate an orientation of the golf club from the second set of linear acceleration data; 
 compare the calculated orientation of the golf club to a second set of predetermined criteria, wherein the second set of predetermined criteria comprises a rational golf club address position, and wherein the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied when the calculated orientation of the golf club is equal to the rational golf club address position; 
 upon determining that the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, collect a third set of linear acceleration data from the accelerometer and a first set of angular rate data from the gyroscope; wherein the accelerometer is operating at a third sampling rate greater than the second sampling rate; 
 compare the third set of linear acceleration data and the first set of angular rate data to a third set of predetermined criteria to determine if an impact event has occurred, wherein the third set of predetermined criteria comprises transforming the angular rate of rotation data into transformed angular rate of rotation data into a golf club coordinate system, wherein the golf club coordinate system comprises a fourth axis is oriented in a heel-to-toe direction, a fifth axis is oriented in a front-to-back direction, and a sixth axis is oriented in a bottom-to-top direction; 
 calculate a slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation about the fourth, fifth, and sixth axes; 
 compare the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation about the fourth, fifth, and sixth axes to a minimum value of a slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis and the sixth axis, and a maximum value of the slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fifth axis, 
 wherein the third set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the slopes of the transformed angular rates of rotation about the fourth axis and the sixth axis are greater than the minimum value of the slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis and the sixth axis, and the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation about the fifth axis is less than the maximum value of the slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fifth axis; and 
 upon determining if an impact event has occurred, calculate a set of golf related metrics from the third set of linear acceleration data and the first set of angular rate of rotation data and transmit the set of golf related metrics to a remote computing device. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the second sampling rate is within a range of 10 Hz and 50 Hz. 
     
     
       3. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the second sampling rate is 20 Hz. 
     
     
       4. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the rational golf club address position comprises a golf club orientation wherein a sole of the golf club faces downward and wherein an angle from a vertical plane to a hosel axis of the golf club is within a range of 10 degrees to 45 degrees. 
     
     
       5. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor further comprises an antenna, and a power source. 
     
     
       6. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor further comprises a magnetometer. 
     
     
       7. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is positioned near the grip of the golf club. 
     
     
       8. The golf club of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is connected to the golf club head of the golf club. 
     
     
       9. A golf club comprising:
 a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a first end connected to the golf club head and a second end connected to a grip; 
 a sensor removably connected to the golf club, the sensor operates a plurality of power consumption modes, the sensor comprising: 
 an inertial measurement unit, a processor, a power source, and an antenna, wherein the inertial measurement unit comprises an accelerometer capable of measuring linear accelerations along a first axis, along a second axis, and along a third axis and a gyroscope capable of measuring angular rates of rotation about the first axis, about the second axis, and about the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonally oriented and comprise a sensor coordinate system; and 
 a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to at least:
 acquire a first set of linear acceleration data from at a first sampling rate while providing power to the accelerometer located within the sensor, while restricting power to the gyroscope; 
 compare the first set of linear acceleration data to a first set of predetermined criteria; wherein the first set of predetermined criteria comprises information indicative of non-zero linear acceleration data in at least one axis and wherein the first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if information indicative of non-zero linear acceleration data in at least one axis; 
 upon determining that first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied, acquire a second set of linear acceleration data at a second sampling rate from the accelerometer, while providing power and restricting power to the gyroscope; wherein the second sampling rate is greater than the first sampling rate; 
 calculate an orientation of the golf club from the second set of linear acceleration data; 
 compare the orientation of the golf club to a second set of predetermined criteria; wherein the second set of predetermined criteria comprises the golf club is in a rational golf club address position and wherein the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the calculated orientation of the golf club is equal to the rational golf club address position; 
 upon determining that the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied; collect a third set of linear acceleration data from the accelerometer and a first set of angular rate data from the gyroscope located within the sensor; wherein the accelerometer is operating at a third sampling rate greater than the second sampling rate when the third set of linear acceleration data is collected; 
 compare the third set of linear acceleration data and the first set of angular rate data to a third set of predetermined criteria to determine if an impact event has occurred, wherein the third set of predetermined criteria comprises transforming the angular rate of rotation data into transformed angular rate of rotation data into a golf club coordinate system; 
 calculate a slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation about the fourth, fifth, and sixth axes, wherein the golf club coordinate system comprises a fourth axis is oriented in a heel-to-toe direction, a fifth axis is oriented in a front-to-back direction, and a sixth axis is oriented in a bottom-to-top direction; 
 compare the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation about the fourth, fifth, and sixth axes to a minimum value of a slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis and the sixth axis, and a maximum value of the slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fifth axis, and wherein the third set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the slopes of the transformed angular rates of rotation about the fourth axis and the sixth axis are greater than the minimum value of the slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis and the sixth axis, and the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation about the fifth axis is less than a maximum value of the slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fifth axis;
 upon determining if an impact event has occurred, calculate a plurality of golf related metrics from the third set of linear acceleration data and the first set of angular rate of rotation data; 
 
 provide power to the antenna and transmit the plurality of golf related metrics to a remote computing device, while restricting power to the accelerometer and the gyroscope. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the first sampling rate is 10 Hz or less. 
     
     
       11. The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the second sampling rate is between 10 Hz and 20 Hz. 
     
     
       12. The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the rational golf club address position comprises the golf club positioned with a sole of the golf club facing downward and wherein an angle from a vertical plane to a hosel axis of the golf club within a range of 10 degrees to 45 degrees. 
     
     
       13. The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the third sampling rate is between 175 Hz and 400 Hz. 
     
     
       14. The golf club of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of golf related metrics is transmitted to the remote computing device at a rate within a range of 0.75 MB/s and 2.0 MB/s. 
     
     
       15. A system of measuring a golf swing comprising:
 a golf club comprising: a shaft and a golf club head, the shaft having a first end connected to the golf club head and a second end connected to a grip; 
 a sensor removably connected to the golf club, the sensor operates a plurality of power consumption modes, the sensor comprising: an inertial measurement unit, a processor, a power source, and an antenna, wherein the inertial measurement unit comprises an accelerometer capable of measuring linear accelerations along a first axis, along a second axis, and along a third axis and a gyroscope capable of measuring angular rates of rotation about the first axis, about the second axis, and about the third axis, wherein the first axis, the second axis, and the third axis are orthogonally oriented and comprise a sensor coordinate system; and 
 a non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to at least:
 acquire a first set of linear acceleration data from at least one axis from the accelerometer located within the sensor located on a golf club, wherein the accelerometer is operating with a first sampling rate of 10 Hz or less; 
 compare the first set of linear acceleration data to a first set of predetermined criteria; wherein the first set of predetermined criteria comprises information indicative of non-zero linear acceleration data in at least one axis and wherein the first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if information indicative of non-zero linear acceleration data in at least one axis; 
 upon determining that first set of predetermined criteria is satisfied; acquire a second set of linear acceleration data from the accelerometer, wherein the accelerometer is operating at a second sampling rate within a range of 10 Hz and 20 Hz when the second set of linear acceleration data is collected; 
 calculate an orientation of the golf club from the second set of linear acceleration data; 
 compare the orientation of the golf club to a second set of predetermined criteria; wherein the second set of predetermined criteria comprises the golf club is in a rational golf club address position wherein the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the calculated orientation of the golf club is equal to the rational golf club address position; 
 upon determining that the second set of predetermined criteria is satisfied; collect a third set of linear acceleration data from the accelerometer and a first set of angular rate data from the gyroscope located within the sensor; wherein the accelerometer is operating at a third sampling rate within a range of 175 Hz and 400 Hz when the third set of linear acceleration data is collected; 
 compare the third set of linear acceleration data and the first set of angular rate data to a third set of predetermined criteria to determine if an impact event has occurred; wherein the third set of predetermined criteria comprises transforming the angular rate of rotation data into transformed angular rate of rotation data into a golf club coordinate system, wherein the golf club coordinate system comprises a fourth axis is oriented in a heel-to-toe direction, a fifth axis is oriented in a front-to-back direction, and a sixth axis is oriented in a bottom-to-top direction; 
 calculate a slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation about the fourth, fifth, and sixth axes; 
 compare the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation about the fourth, fifth, and sixth axes to a minimum value of a slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis and the sixth axis, and a maximum value of the slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fifth axis, wherein the third set of predetermined criteria is satisfied if the slopes of the transformed angular rates of rotation about the fourth axis and the sixth axis are greater than the minimum value of the slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fourth axis and the sixth axis, and the slope of the transformed angular rate of rotation about the fifth axis is less than a maximum value of the slope of the angular rate of rotation about the fifth axis; and 
 upon determining if an impact event has occurred, transmit the third set of linear acceleration data and the first set of angular rate of rotation data to a remote computing device. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The system of measuring a golf swing of  claim 15 , wherein the rational golf club address position comprises the golf club positioned with a sole of the golf club facing downward and wherein an angle from a vertical plane to a hosel axis of the golf club within a range of 10 degrees to 45 degrees. 
     
     
       17. The system of measuring a golf swing of  claim 15 , wherein the sensor is positioned near the grip of the golf club.